With a vision of environmental transformation and lasting cultural change, Villalbilla students have become key players in conserving their surroundings. Throughout October, the municipality's classrooms opened their doors to citizen science, direct research, and ecological action through the LIVING SOILS project.
This initiative is part of the collaboration agreement signed in April 2026 between the Villalbilla City Council and SDL Divulgación del Medio Ambiente, S.L. By implementing this project, Villalbilla pioneers as one of the few municipalities in the Community of Madrid to develop this significant environmental initiative, aiming to bring young people closer to understanding and caring for the land through practical experiences.
In this second implementation phase, co-creative workshops were successfully delivered in local educational centers. CEIP Peñas Albas hosted the activity on October 15th and 19th, while CEIP Salvador Dalí experienced it on October 27th. Students worked in the classroom with real observation and measurement materials, applying scientific methods to differentiate living from degraded or compacted soils and discovering the key role of mulch.
The practical experience culminated in a transformative action: the creation of their own 'seed bombs' composed of native species, directly translating classroom scientific learning into a valuable community action tool focused on regenerating and enriching the municipality's biodiversity.
Villalbilla's environmental commitment remains strong. Following these workshops, Phase 2 of the project continues between November and December 2026 with the planting of these seed bombs in school environments for spring blooming. Subsequently, from November 2026 to February 2027, students will develop micro-research and environmental intervention projects. Finally, between March and April 2027, a Soils Fair and an Art Contest will be held.
This sub-project received funding from the SOILSCAPE project (Grant Agreement n.º 10115651) through its Open Call, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program.
The passage of LIVING SOILS through Villalbilla's classrooms demonstrates that environmental education is not just theory but a living seed capable of transforming municipalities, with young researchers proving that a sustainable future is built from the ground up, step by step, with hands in the earth.
